Detachable pivoted knife



Feb. 11, 1958 J. w. MEDLIN 2,822,845

DETACHABLE PIVOTED KNIFE Filed Nov. 1, 1956 INVENTOR afh f 7/7665)? United States Patent DETACHABLE PIVOTED KNIFE J. Wiley Medlin, Brookville, Ohio Application November 1, 1956, Serial No. 619,757 1 Claim. (Cl. 146-146) This invention relates to a cutter assembly. The invention relates moreparticularly to a cutter assembly which has means for easily and manually providing cutting pressures of high values. The invention relates still more particularly to a cutter assembly which also has means for cracking or crushing. However, the invention is not so limited due to the fact that the invention may be applied to various types of uses.

An object of this invention is to provide a cutter assembly which is particularly adapted for a variety of uses in a, domestic kitchen.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cutter assembly by which a housewife may manually exert considerable cutting force for severing operations.

Another object of this invention is to provide such a cutter assembly which may also be used for cracking nuts or for crushing other materials.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cutter assembly in which the blade member thereof may be easily removed from the other elements of the assembly.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cutter assembly which may be made at low cost, is durable, and long-lived.

Other objects and advantages reside in the construction of parts, the combination thereof, the method of manufacture, and the mode of operation, as will become more apparent from the following description.

In the drawing:'

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a knife member of the cutter assembly of this invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing a cutter assembly of this invention in a cutting operation.

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing a cutter assembly of this invention in a cracking operation.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing a cutter assembly of this invention.

Referring to the drawing in detail, a cutter assembly of this invention comprises a base member upon which is rigidly mounted a cutter block 12. The cutter block 12 may be partially imbedded within the base member 10, as shown in Figure 4. The cutter block 12 is provided with an inclined surface 14 which is preferably roughened or provided with a plurality of parallel grooves, as shown in the drawing.

Attached to the base member 10 adjacent the cutter block 12 is a post 15 which has an elongate longitudinal slot 16 therethrough, as best shown in Figure 4. The post 15 may be slightly recessed within the cutter block 12, if desired, as shown in Figure 4. The upper end of the post 15 within the slot 16 is preferably provided with a taper 17.

The cutter assembly of this invention also includes a knife member 18 provided with a blade 20 and a handle 22. An edge 23 of the blade 20 is sharp and keen and may be serrated, as shown, if desired. An opposite edge 24 of the blade 20 is blunt and is preferably provided with a plurality of waves as shown in the drawing.

The end portion of the blade 20 opposite the handle 2,822,845 Patented Feb. 11, 1958 22 has an arcuate portion 28. The end portion of the blade 20 is provided with a slot 30 which extends angularly to the longitudinal axis of the blade 20. The end of the slot 30 is preferably provided with an arcuate portion 32, as best shown in Figures 1 and 4.

The slot 30 in the end portion of the blade 20 separates the arcuate portion 28 from a pointed portion 33, as shown. It is to be understood, however, that the blade 20 may have an end portion of other shapes than that shown.

The blade 20 is readily interlocked with the post 15 by insertion of the arcuate portion 28 through the slot 16 of the post 15 so that the taper 17 at the upper end of the post 15 is within the slot 30 of the blade 20, as shown in Figures 2 and 4. Thus, a side of the slot 30 engages the taper 17 at the upper end of the post 15. Therefore, by manually grasping the handle 22 the knife 18 may be pivotally moved about the taper 17 of the post 15. As the blade 20 is pivotally moved toward the cutter block 12 considerable pressure may be manually applied to the surface 14 of the cutter block 12. This is due to the fact that there is a high lever arm ratio of the distance between the handle 22 and the taper 17 as compared to the distance between the contact point of the blade 20 and the taper 17.

As shown in Figure 2, bones of part of a chicken 34 may be easily severed by downward pivotal movement of the blade 20.

The assembly, as shown in Figures 2 and 4, may be used to cut bones in other types of meats and to slice vegetables such as carrots and other foods.

The blade 20 may be easily removed from interlocking engagement with the post 15. The blade 20 may be reversed so that the blunt edge 24 faces the cutter block 12. The blade 20 is interlockable with the post 15 with the point 33 inserted through the slot 16 of the post 15 and with the upper end of the post 15 within the slot 30 of the blade 20, as shown in Figure 3. Thus, the arcuate portion 32 within the slot 30 engages the taper 17 at the end of the post 15 so that the blade 20 is pivotal about the taper 17 for movement of the blunt edge 24 into and out of engagement with the surface 14 of the cutter block 12. Thus, a nut 36 disposed upon the cutter block 12, as shown in Figure 3, may be easily cracked by downward movement of the handle 22, as shown in Figure 3.

The waves in the blunt edge 24 of the blade 20 permit firm engagement of the blade 20 with an object such as the nut 36 without permitting sliding movement between the blade 20 and the object 36.

Thus, it is understood that the cutter assembly of this invention may be used to manually exert considerable pressure for cutting or cracking.

The blade 20 is easily removed from the post 15 so that the complete assembly may be easily washed or cleaned. The knife 18 may be used in a conventional manner when removed from the other elements of the assembly.

Although the preferred embodiment of the device has been described, it will be understood that within the purview of this invention various changes may be made in the form, details, proportion and arrangement of parts, the combination thereof and mode of operation, which generally stated consist in a device capable of carrying out the objects set forth, as disclosed and defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

A cutter assembly comprising a cutter block, a pivot post rigidly supported adjacent the cutter block and extending angularly from the surface of the cutter block, the post having an elongate longitudinal slot therein, the post having a small upper end which does not have the slot therein, a blade member, the blade member having 3 a straight cutter edge extending along a portion of the length thereof, the blade member having an end portion, the end portion having an arcuate cutter edge joining the straight cutter edge, the end portion of the blade member having a slot therein, the distance between the bottom of the slot of the end portion and a point on the arcuate cutter edge being equal to the length of the slot in the post extending from the cutter block, the end portion of the blade member being positioned within the slot of the post with the short upper end of the pivot post being in engagement with the bottom of the slot of the end portion of the blade member, the arcuate cutter edge and the straight cutter edge thus being engageable with the cutter block as the blade member is pivotally moved about the short upper end of the post.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 391,268 Parker Oct. 16, 1888 1,005,128 Blain Oct. 10, 1911 1,268,484 Olasz June 4, 1918 2,527,018 Luzzi Oct. 24, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 178,987 Germany Nov. 24. 1906 

